Ancient Egyptians expressed grief for the deceased through specific customs and rituals.
Mourning practices in ancient Egypt involved various displays of sorrow by family members and sometimes employed professionals. The family of the deceased typically participated directly in the funeral procession.
Key Mourning Practices
Based on surviving evidence, including depictions in paintings, Egyptian mourning rituals included several distinct actions depending on the individual's role or gender.
Here's a summary of how different groups expressed their grief:
| Group | Actions During Mourning |
|---|---|
| Family | Walked behind the coffin. |
| Men (in mourning) | Did not shave. |
| Women | Tore their clothing, put dirt on their heads. |
| Professional Mourners | Employed to weep and wail, depicted with eye makeup running. |
These actions served as visible signs of grief and respect for the deceased.
Specific Mourning Rituals
Detailed actions performed during mourning included:
- Procession: The family actively participated by walking behind the coffin bearing the body.
- Personal Appearance:
- Men showed their grief by not shaving.
- Women demonstrated their sorrow by tearing their clothing and putting dirt on their heads.
- Hired Grief: Sometimes, professional female mourners were employed. Their role was to weep and wail dramatically during the funeral rites.
Depictions in Art
Paintings from ancient tombs provide insight into these practices, particularly showing the hired mourners. These depictions often show the professional mourners with their eye makeup running down their faces due to tears, emphasizing the intensity of their performance of grief.
These varied expressions, from personal neglect of appearance to public displays of sorrow and even hired weeping, were integral parts of the Egyptian mourning process.
